The present invention generally relates to jewelry manufacturing processes. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process of embedding articles within a shaped plastic form.
Jewelry has been made of many different metals, gems, and other materials since prehistoric times. Within the past century, many types of polymeric elastomers have been developed. Many of these elastomers have been used in jewelry, including thermosets. Thermosets are elastomeric materials that are fluid (liquid or malleable) prior to curing and are adapted for pouring into molds. Thermosets cure (harden) over time as a polymeric reaction occurs, often with the application of heat and/or pressure. The polymeric reaction often occurs in the presence of a catalyst (sometimes referred to as an initiator). Some thermosets are clear (transparent) after curing.
A variety of articles have been made by embedding decorative items in molded bodies. For example, Zandvliet et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,011, describes a method for enclosing an object with a spherical, transparent encapsulation of material. To produce such items, two hemispherical objects are formed having internal cavities. A ceramic object is placed in the cavity of one of the hemispherical objects and a mass of liquid plastic is introduced to fill the cavity and partially immerse the ceramic object. Another mass of liquid plastic is then introduced to fill the cavity of the other hemispherical object. The ceramic object is then pressed into the liquid plastic in the cavity of the other hemispherical object while the two hemispherical objects are united to form a spherical shape.